The State Fair of Texas: This Year's 11 Best Concerts

Another Texas State Fair is upon us and when you're not trying to stuff as much fried, doughy goodness into you or riding any number of spinning rides hoping said dough won't unexpectedly leave your body, you might want to take a breather and listen to some music. It's just like food, except when you let too much of it enter your body, you don't pray for a quick swift death in the same way until someone deep fries Carly Rae Jepsen.

So when the inevitable moment comes that you can't afford any more Tums or tickets, the Fair will have you covered with a ton of free outdoor concerts. Here's just a taste of the music acts that are on tap while you give your tummy a much deserved rest.

Asleep at the Wheel on Friday, Sept. 27

No celebration of Texas greatness would be complete without one of its best and most loved musical acts. The Grammy winning "kings of Texas swing" will kick off the festivities on the Fair's opening night.

Blondie Featuring X on Saturday, Sept. 28

The singer also known as Debbie Harry will make the Texas State Fair one of the last stops on her tour to perform some of her new tracks such as "Make A Way," "Drag You Around," "Can't Stop Wanting" and "A Rose By Any Name" and hopefully some of her old favorites as well. But who cares, really? X is playing!

Wesley Pruitt Band on Tuesday, Oct. 1

The Texas soul and blues group plans to give you a reason to dance when they take the stage, which is good since your heart is bound to need an aerobic workout from having to process all the corn dogs and fried mystery foods that you will have consumed up until that point.

Aurora Bleu on Friday, Oct. 4

This Fort Worth group offers a unique blend of western swing, blues, jazz, boogie woogie, rockabilly and rhythm and blues. They'll make you wish you had brought your dancing shoes instead of your "eating shoes" with the softer insoles that can handle the extra weight that 10 pounds of fried goodness can add to the human body.

An Evening with Molly Ringwald on Friday, Oct. 4

The red-headed girl that moody teenagers identified with in films like "Sixteen Candles" and

The Breakfast Club

shows off her musical side with a one-night only jazz performance. Try not to think about "breakfast" since you're bound to be way too full by this point.

Kelly Rowland on Saturday, Oct. 5

This former one-third of Destiny's Child and

X-Factor

judge is bound to become one of this year's highest attended events.

Will Hoge on Friday, Oct. 11

The Grammy nominated, Nashville songwriter and performer plans to bring his distinct alternative country sound to the fair. Hopefully, you'll be able to hear it in person if the collective sound of painful moans from eating too many fried dough balls doesn't drown out his music.

Turnpike Troubadours on Saturday, Oct. 12

No truly authentic Texas celebration could be complete without some old fashioned, backwoods country music and even though these "red dirt" musicians are for Oklahoma, they should fit the Fair's musical needs nicely.

Emblem3 on Monday, Oct. 14

These

X Factor

stars should have no problem bringing in the younger crowd to the Fair with their unique mix of reggae, fusion and hip-hop.

Kacey Musgraves on Friday, Oct. 18

This "Nashville Star" star may have finished seventh in the competition but she's cleaning up in her post reality TV career with hits like "Merry Go 'Round" and her collaboration with Miranda Lambert on "Mama's Broken Heart." Her sweet sound should serve as a nice distraction to the breakage that's being done to your heart when you polish off that third fried turkey leg by the time her show starts.

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Danny Gallagher has been a regular contributor to the Dallas Observer since 2014. He has also written features, essays and stories for MTV, the Chicago Tribune,Maxim, Cracked, Mental_Floss, The Week, CNET and The Onion AV Club.